Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets Review
by Homer Yen (homer_yen AT yahoo DOT com)December 2nd, 2002
"Harry Potter 2" – Visually Magical but Story Fizzles
by Homer Yen
(c) 2002
"Harry Potter – Chamber of Secrets" is a film in which you will feel undoubtedly awed yet puzzlingly detached.
Visionary creators have fashioned a wondrous world of magical creatures, dreamy landscapes, sweeping vistas, and a gothic masterpiece that is Hogwarts School, where Harry will return for his 2nd year of magical education. There is beauty to be found in all the details. You'll be impressed by the hanging pictures that don't know the meaning of Still Life, the decor within the grand dining room, and a general sense of gee-whiz that all youths should have. You'll also appreciate Dobby the house-elf, who is so convincing that it appears as real as any human without any of the Jar-Jar aftertaste. The ideas are endlessly inventive.
He appears early on to warn Harry of impending danger if he should return to school. Something sinister is afoot. And somehow, Harry becomes inextricably linked to the strange mystery that gradually emerges.
"Gradually," however, is the key word. Despite all its ambitions, the eye candy outpaces the momentum of the story. It takes a good 40 minutes before the movie actually starts moving in any direction. Meanwhile, it seems to meander for a good deal of its 160-minute running time.
First, there are too many side adventures. Harry must interact with many people and creatures in his quest to discover the evil that has befallen Hogwarts. He pays visits to lovably oafish Hagrid the Giant (Robbie Coltrane) to gather information; confronts a spider monster; finds a way to deceptively gain the trust of his nemesis, Draco Malfoy (Tom Felton); and looks to a magical journal that may help him uncover previously hidden facts. Even the great Quiddich sequence, which actually rivals any Star Wars sequence, seemed extraneous.
There are also too many characters. In addition to Harry and his friends, there are several other characters to keep track of. Of course, we like the familiarity we feel from the returning faculty from HP1, such as the sneering Snape (Alan Rickman), wizened Dumbledore (Richard Harris) and fretful McGonagal (Maggie Smith). All are treats to watch. Newly added characters included the dotty Professor Sprout (Miriam Margolyes) who teaches students about shrieking plants, odious Lucius Malfoy (Jason Isaacs) who has a perpetual snicker on his face, and the hilariously narcissistic Professor Gilderoy Lockhart (Kenneth Branagh in an Oscar-worthy turn) who is a legend in his own mind. Despite the potential for confusion, each one does offers a unique dimension to the film thanks to their mannerisms and their beautiful costumes.
What is also a plus is that this film operates at a higher level than its predecessor did. This one has a more grown-up feeling. It hints at weighty topics like racial discrimination, it feels more like an Indiana Jones adventure rather than a children's story, and the texture of the film is darker and scarier.
Yet, because of the oodles of images, the handful of characters, and the number of quests, the entire story meanders its way into its climax. No doubt, the gift of author JK Rowlings is the ability to conjure up magical worlds, put them in print, and then to allow our imaginations to run wild. And, while the visualizations most certainly come to life, the unfolding of the story fizzles.
Grade: C+
S: 0 out of 3
L: 0 out of 3
V: 1 out of 3
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